Mikael Segercrantz
Mikael Segercrantz is a Helsinki-based Partner and Head of Roschier’s Marketing & Consumer practice. His practice focuses on intellectual property, regulatory matters and marketing & consumer law, including litigation. He has extensive experience in IP litigation in Finland and before the Court of Justice of the European Union, both as first and second chair. The proceedings have related to patent, trademark, copyright, design as well as other IP rights and involved questions such as preliminary injunctions, infringing acts and invalidity claims. Mikael has represented national and foreign companies in unfair competition lawsuits before the Market Court and self-regulatory boards of the industry as well as in administrative proceedings.
Mikael regularly advises clients, including international large brand owners, in various types of regulatory and marketing law questions, such as marketing campaigns, product classification, pricing and labeling issues, with a particular focus on the pharmaceutical, medical device, food and cosmetic industries. He has also handled and coordinated a number of product recall campaigns in Finland and the Baltic States.
Mikael’s experience includes working for Nokia Corporation as a visiting lawyer. He is President of the Finnish Association for Industrial Property Rights (STY). He is also the main contact for Finland in the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance (GALA), an international network of independent law firms specialized in advertising and marketing law.
Mikael frequently writes and lectures on topics relating to IPR, trademark and patent litigation, marketing & advertising as well as pharmaceutical regulatory issues.
Mikael is recognized as one of the leading experts in the country in intellectual property, including trademarks and patents, as well as in life sciences regulatory by international legal directories such as Chambers Europe, Chambers Global, IAM Patent 1000, Managing IP (IP Stars), Who’s Who Legal, WTR 1000 and WIPR. Mikael is also the exclusive winner of the International Law Office (ILO) Client Choice Award for Life Sciences in Finland in 2021 and 2022. He has also been named the Best Lawyers’ 2015 Intellectual Property Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Finland.
According to WTR1000, “Mikael Segercrantz is another litigation ace who has a penchant for combating counterfeits; he knows regulatory law like the back of his hand and gets imitation products off the market” (WTR1000, 2020) and he “brings further firepower to the group”(WTR1000, 2021). Mikael’s “all-round knowledge of IP issues is noted and he is described as very talented” (Chambers Europe, 2021), “very pragmatic and solution-oriented adviser” (Chambers Global, 2022).
According to clients, Mikael “delivers difficult answers in an easy and understandable way” (Chambers Global, 2023); he is “very structured and skilled in his field with great business acumen and social skills” (Chambers Global, 2022). One client adds: “He understands what we do, is very responsive and is open to working with us on things to get to the right answer” (Chambers Global, 2023).
Clients admire not only his work, but also his personality, saying: “His legal work is excellent and he’s really an expert in the field. He is also easy-going and responsive.” (Chambers Europe, 2017). He is also described as “incredibly knowledgeable and superb advocate, with well-thought-out and thorough arguments” (IAM Patent 1000, 2020) and “his written work is very good – it is persuasive and convincing” (Chambers Global, 2023). Further, Mikael is described as “a top trademark litigator” (WTR 1000, 2018) who is “diligent and super pragmatic” and who has “a deep understanding of his clients’ business needs” (WTR 1000, 2019) and clients express a “very high level of trust” in his advice (Chambers Europe, 2018).
Mikael Segercrantz’s experience includes advising:
- A global pharmaceutical company in proceedings related to regulatory data protection rights before the Finnish Supreme Administrative court and Court of Justice of the European Union;
- Several innovative pharma companies in IP litigation proceedings before Finnish civil courts;
- Clients in regulatory appeals against the Pharmaceutical Pricing Board’s decisions on the reimbursement status and pricing of products;
- Trademark holders in opposition proceedings before the Board of Appeal of the National Board of Patents and Registration;
- A number of brand owners with enforcement of their well-known trademarks;
- Several brand owners and advertising agencies with review and clearance of marketing campaigns;
- Foreign manufacturers in relation to product recall campaigns in Finland.
Roschier (1997-), Senior advisor 2008-2010, Partner since 2010
Nokia Networks /Espoo, Visiting Lawyer (2001)
Member of the Finnish Bar Association
Member of the International Trademark Association (INTA)
Member of the Finnish Association for Industrial Property Rights (STY)
Member of the Finnish Sports Law Association
Member of the Finnish Marketing Association (MARK)
Member of AIPPI
Member of the European Patent Lawyers Association (EPLAW)
Finnish Association for Industrial Property Rights (STY), Member of the Board (2019-), Vice President (2020-2021) , President (2022-)
Finnish Marketing Association (MARK), Lawyer Circle, Board member (2007-2018)
Finnish Chapter in “International Advertising Law”, Second Edition, editors Paul Jordan and Andrew Butcher, co-authored with Johanna Flythström and Verna Syrjänen, Globe Law and Business Ltd, 2020
Finnish chapter in “Global Patent Litigation – How and Where to Win”, editors Michael C. Elmer and C. Gregory Gramenopoulos, co-contributors Rainer Hilli and Johanna Flythström, Bloomberg Law 2014, 2019 and 2021
“Ambush Marketing – What Is It and What Can Be Done to Prevent It?”, co-authored with Johanna Flythström, Bookwell, 2016
Finnish chapter in “The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Pharmaceutical Advertising”, co-author Johanna Lilja, Global Legal Group 2008-2009, 2011, 2013-2020
“Advertising Law: A Global Legal Perspective”, Finnish chapter, co-authored with Johanna Flythström and Suvi Laes, Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance, 2015
“Ambush Marketing: A Global Legal Perspective”, Finnish chapter, co-authored with Johanna Flythström, Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance, 2014
Finnish chapter in “Trade Mark Litigation – Jurisdictional comparisons”, editors Thierry Calame and Massimo Sterpi, co-authors Rainer Hilli and Johanna Lilja, The European Lawyer 2008 and 2013
Finnish chapter in “Distrubution & Marketing of Drugs”, editors Eric Stupp, Markus Schott and Alison Dennis, co-authors Johanna Lilja and Elina Saxlin-Hautamäki, The European Lawyer 2013
“Helsinki Court of Appeals prohibits the screening and distribution of the motion picture ”Man Exposed”, co-authored with Tapio Rantala, Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice (Oxford University Press), 2007
University of Helsinki, LL.M. (1997)
English, Finnish, Swedish
Very structured and skilled in his field with great business acumen and social skills.
Chambers Global
